


Conference [Staff Meeting Remix]

by Missy_dee811



Category: Avengers (Comics), Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Avengers Vol. 4 (2010), Commander Rogers, Community: cap_ironman, Developing Relationship, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Madripoor (Marvel), Remix, Team Dynamics, Undercover Missions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-10-28 22:29:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17795951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missy_dee811/pseuds/Missy_dee811
Summary: Steve wants to form a new Avengers team and hopes Tony will join, but Tony still has his doubts. Perhaps, all they need is some time together.[Written for the Cap-IM Remix Exchange 2019.]





	Conference [Staff Meeting Remix]

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Antrodemus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antrodemus/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Staff Meeting](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16606478) by [Antrodemus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antrodemus/pseuds/Antrodemus). 



_“Our President asked me what the world needs now… I told him that the world needs what it always needs: heroes. Not SHIELD agents, not HAMMER agents. Avengers. Now, maybe more than ever. But what does that mean in this new world: one big team of heroes, a handful of heroes? That was the question. What ingredients would inspire this country…the world? And I think I know…and for this I have picked you,” said Steve._

_“And I’m telling you,” said Simon, “putting the Avengers back together is a terrible idea.”_

_“Now, how can you say that,” replied Steve._

_“Steve, how can you not?”_

 

 

“All right, Avengers… You will be the face of a new era, and I will tell you why I picked you.”

More than a dozen eyes stared back at him. Thor, Clint, Peter, Logan, Bucky, Jessica, and Tony were standing before him, around the table. It was invigorating to see them all together.

Jarvis had brought them something to drink, but he had stopped handing out the coffee mugs to listen to Steve. It reminded him of those first few meetings in the mansion with Jan, Hank, and Bruce. The mansion now lay in ruins, but it wasn’t all bad. After all, he was standing before his new team. 

Clint was the only one seated. Peter was hanging from the ceiling as he was apt to do, and Logan had taken it upon himself to get comfortable. He had pulled out a chair and was leaning on the table, facing out.

“For your nobility and strength, for your cunning and bravery,” he said facing Thor and then Clint.

“Power and responsibility,” he said.

“Really,” replied Peter, still dangling from the ceiling. He didn’t sound convinced.

“Ruthlessness and selflessness,” said Steve, facing Logan.

“If you say so,” muttered the mutant under his breath. Surely, he knew Steve would hear, but it didn’t matter.

“Symbolism,” he said. Captain America met his gaze, though this time, Bucky didn’t have anything to add. It was just as well. It had been hard for Steve to be Captain America and he, more so than anyone else, knew how difficult the job was, but Bucky was more than capable. Perhaps, he didn’t see it that way, but he would.

“Savvy,” he said motioning towards Jessica. The spy smiled slyly.

“And a clear view of the future,” he said.

The team would be incomplete without the futurist. He was dismayed to see Tony shifting on his feet.

Quickly, he added, “Can I talk to you for a second?”

He sounded unsure and Steve didn’t like the sound of that. He lead the way and unsurprisingly, Tony followed.

“Steve, I don’t have to be on your little team here.”

“Of course, you don’t _have to_ , but it’s the Avengers, I thought you’d _want to_.”

He sighed. He had thought…

They loved being Avengers, had always been Avengers… Ever since Steve awoke from the ice, they had been on a team together. Sure, the team had had its ups and downs. They had had those too, but they always came back to each other, and they always came back to this team.

Thor too.

The three of them.  

The team was home.

Couldn’t he see they needed this? They needed this semblance of normalcy, so many things had changed between them, but this didn’t have to be one of those.

Moreover, people needed heroes that would protect and inspire them, and at the end of it all, that’s what it meant to be an Avenger. It was a badge they’d both worn with pride over the years.

While Simon had been right about Osborn, the invasion, the superhero Civil War, the mutant decimation – all of it – he’d been wrong about one thing: it wasn’t their fault. There would always be villains, and there would always be those who sought to overpower others. He knew that better than most, but a world without Avengers, would it have fared any better? By all accounts, the world was only as defenseless as it was because the heroes had scattered in the wake of the war.

That meant a united front would’ve been nearly invincible. They knew they’d only get ahead by weakening them.

It was also true that the Avengers had to contend with the consequences, including unforeseen ones, but if not them, then who?

He knew Tony knew that. He had been in his position when it all came crumbling down. They didn’t talk about it. Even if they had wanted, Tony couldn’t remember, which frustrated Steve on the best day, but he was making his peace with it. He had to, or else they couldn’t move on. 

Once again, he thought about his conversation with Simon, but it had only served to further highlight his point: they needed this, for themselves, and for the people of earth, which had settled the matter. Thus, he had called together these heroes and made them an offer they couldn’t refuse.

Or so, he had thought, until now.

 

He had been hoping Tony wanted this as much as he did. Instead, it seemed as if Tony couldn’t fathom why Steve would want to do this, let alone, with him, and wasn’t that such a blow? They had fought a war in which Tony had pleaded with Steve, begged him to join him, and now that Steve wanted him on his team, he balked at the idea.  

“I’m talking about you and me,” said Tony, cutting to the heart of the matter.

“I know.”

“We don’t agree on anything anymore.”

“Oh, c’mon Tony, you know that’s not true.”

“See, this right here? This is us disagreeing on whether we agree on things or not. You’re just proving my point.”

“Tony, wait,” said Steve reaching for him as he turned to walk away.

“Steve, you don’t get it. When I look at you, all I see are all the mistakes I’ve made and –”

“ _Tony_ ,” interrupted Steve.

“No, Steve, I need you to listen. I’m not saying it’s going to be like this forever, but for now, that’s how it is. I can do something else.”

“I don’t want you doing something else, Tony. I want you on my team, but more so than that, I want you _to want_ to be on this team.”

“We’ll kill each other,” said Tony, though he couldn’t meet his eyes.

Tony ran his hand through his hair, and not for the first time, Steve had a thought. He wondered what else he could demand of Tony, what else he could get him to do.

Suddenly, he wished they were somewhere private. He could tell there were several eyes on them, among them Jessica's and Logan's, who seemed to be drinking in their words as well as the drinks in their hands.

“We’ll be fine,” said Steve. “Besides, I’m not the one running the team.”

“Oh?”

“I have a country to worry about, I can’t run a team, but she can,” he said.

The door had opened, and Maria Hill had come to join them.

“She’s the best person for the job,” he added as she approached them.

“Boys, spider lady,” said Maria.

“I’m very okay with this,” said Tony and Steve couldn’t help but smile. This would work.

He couldn’t help but wonder if Tony would be ‘very okay’ with his other ideas. There was one way to find out. He’d have to wait for the right time. Not in front of Maria Hill. For as much as he admired the woman, they weren’t that friendly.

“Is this everybody,” she said as the Avengers circled her.

Steve nodded before adding, “You’ll answer to her as you would me.”

He could feel Tony’s eyes on him as he spoke. Was he thinking the same thing?

He motioned for Tony to follow him, and they fell in lock step.

“As far as you and me… Let’s try not to kill each other.”

 

 

“What’s the plan,” said Tony. He placed his suitcase on the table and turned to face Steve. Though they were on a team together and had mended things between them, they hadn’t spent much time alone. The thought of being alone with each other had never scared Tony before, but now he found himself uncertain.

Steve didn’t echo his sentiments. He didn’t appear concerned. On the contrary, he seemed… Excited?

Could that be right?

Tony knew he shouldn’t be worried. There were no hard feelings between them. They were busy and didn’t have as much time as they once did. He remembered fondly those days they used to spend their evenings together, catching up on movies and TV shows, discussing the latest book. Tony had taken his time to show him around, help him assimilate.

It seemed so long ago now.

Steve was still working for SHIELD, but they were Avengers, and maybe something more…

Tony had been around Steve long enough to know there was something simmering below the surface. He had been too afraid to delve deeper.

 

“You’re the only ones available. Don’t mess up,” said Maria, depositing the file on the table in front of them before turning to walk out. Tony had expected her to add something else, but when she didn’t, he found himself unbothered. 

“Still surprised she didn’t send one of her agents. Neither one of us is a spy,” said Tony. picking up the file.

Steve hadn’t seen this armor in a long time, not since before Tony injected himself with Extremis. He wondered why he'd brought along such an old suit, though he didn’t press.

“I can see the gears turning. I needed a suit that wouldn’t connect to the internet and well, this is the most up-to-date armor I have that meets that requirement.”

“You haven’t updated this since injecting yourself with Extremis?”

He had placed his hands on the suitcase and was seconds away from opening it, before Tony placed his hand on top of his and stopped him.

“I didn’t say that, Cap, and you know it.”

Steve noticed he seemed on edge. He didn’t want to fight – on the contrary, it was the opposite of what he wanted to do. They had a job though, and the job came first.

He sighed and removed his hands from the top of the suitcase, letting them fall to his sides.

“I wouldn’t have brought something outdated. It’s just disconnected. I can’t interface with this suit the way I can with the others.”

He held up his hand.

“Don’t look at me like that. Mostly, it’s for security reasons. I don’t need someone in Madripoor getting their hands on my tech.”

He held firm, meeting Steve’s eyes. Defiant.

“This should be a simple.”

_If only._

“We might even have time for ourselves,” added Steve, encroaching on his space.

Tony quirked his brow. “If you wanted to go on a tropical vacation, all you’d have to do is ask.”

“Is that so,” asked Steve.

 _Well, wasn’t that cute?_ He was blushing.

“I’m always open to suggestions,” said Tony. He walked to the end of the table and picked up the file. Steve walked toward him as he flipped through it. He could reach for him here – a caress, nothing more. He didn't have to wait. Would Tony object? 

“We’ll see about that,” said Steve, walking by him and heading for the door. He could feel Tony’s eyes follow him.

He’d take that as a no. _Soon_. Soon, they would be in Madripoor, and there, they could discuss, among other things.

**Author's Note:**

> Much of the dialogue at the beginning is borrowed from Avengers (2010) #1. I paraphrased much of the conversation between Steve and Simon, though I left much of Steve's speech to the Avengers untouched. 
> 
> I've always thought this was a great era for them and there was a lot of potential. The writers, it seems, had other plans.
> 
> You can reblog its post on [Tumblr](http://viudanegraaa.tumblr.com/post/183047234847/conference-staff-meeting-remix-anonymous).


End file.
